Dodge ProMaster City

This may the first vehicle that I can't wait 10 years until it drops in price.

2.4l Tigershark (gets 40mpg in the Dart, Dodge claims class leading MPG in the utility van segment)

"Meant to take on compact commercial and passenger vans, the ProMaster City will be offered in two-seat Tradesman cargo van configuration, as well as a five-seat passenger wagon. In cargo van configuration, the ProMaster City will be able to carry a payload of 1,883 pounds and will offer 131.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Featuring a stiff unibody design, the ProMaster City has a coil-sprung bi-link rear suspension for better control and driver comfort. The van has a 122.4-inch wheelbase and a 48.4-inch span between the rear wheel well -- a class best, according to Ram. That'll allow loaded pallets to be fitted into the cargo box, just like on the larger Ram ProMaster. The ProMaster City also boasts a roof height of 51.8 inches, and the walls feature vertical side panels, which allow for the attachment of shelves or storage racks by third parties. The rear doors feature a 60/40 split, and the twin sliding doors on the sides each open to a width of 26 inches.

The passenger wagon version features an additional three-seat second row, which can fold up in a 60/40 split, but even with the seats in place, the van still offers close to 4 feet of cargo length stretching to the rear doors. With the seats folded up, the amount of room grows to almost 6 feet in length.

Read more: Autoweek.com "

Thinkin this would make a great bicycle, motorcycle, camper van, parts hauler, and potential kid hauler as well.

And it looks kinda cool. I want custom vans to come back

Clicking on the autoweek link, I did not realize that Chevy planned to sell a rebadged Nissan small van.

I do find it funny that they all brag how much and how wide they can hold. What I see here is that these vans are going to quickly outsize themselves as they all try to get bigger and bigger.

Looks FWD....

Gotta love how the K-car mentality won't die.

Ranger50 wrote: Looks FWD.... Gotta love how the K-car mentality won't die.

Don't understand. All the tiny new work vans are FWD and fleet managers love them. If you don't need massive carrying capacity, think security installer or A/C technician, they are the hot ticket.

these FWD things are all over the UK.. THey're horrible, but get the job done. http://www.ldv.co.uk/

Right. I think Americans still forget that our gas prices are quickly approaching $4.00/gal and that efficiency trumps just about every other factor of utility vehicle. Personally I don't care if its ugly, fwd, hybrid or whatever. If it does what I need it to do cheaper than other options, than I'll go with whatever works. In some cases what you need is a huge diesel dually, where gas just wont do. In my case I want something that hauls like a work van but gets compact MPG.

My perfect car mix would be a 35mpg Miata and a 35mpg Utility Van big enough to sleep in stretched out.

I'd like to see it with the front and rear fascia's painted body color.

It's not as ugly as it could be.

I like it. You can see the Fiat influence in the front end of it. If they can put some sort of manumatic feature in it, that would make it tolerable to drive.

It's getting a 9-Spd Auto.

The Doblo gets a manual trans overseas:

"According to Ram, the ProMaster City boasts class-leading output and can sprint to 60 in 9.8 seconds."

I am thinking sort of a conversion van thing for cross country travel and/or camping. I like it. Didn't read the article but I wonder what it can tow?

An optional Tow package will allow the ProMaster City to tow up to 2,000 pounds.

I like. I have an increasing need for something that holds a lot, and something like this would be great.

More pics from Cars.com

Gotta love how the K-car mentality won't die.

Huh? The k-car mentality is how 95% of all OEMs actually stay profitable (i.e. survive).

Yesterday i was looking at a white Lamborghini when the thought struck "this is a really nice looking audi r8.".

How does it do against a transit connect?

I really like the lower wider floor of the FWD vans, my only concern is whether or not the transaxles will hold up.

In a heartbeat, if only they'd import one with a clutch.

EvanR wrote: In a heartbeat, if only they'd import one with a clutch.

Would it make you feel better if I told you I've driven the German market 6 speed turbo diesel Ford Transit and thought it was awful? Powerband like a 2 stroke dirtbike, clutch was either on or off to an extent everybody (myself Included) who I saw try to drive it stalled it their first time around, all I could think was "Damn this thing would be a lot lot better with a well programmed torque converter auto". Quite a chore to operate, not the easy to drive torquey thing everybody assumes.

Pictured van with a modern 2.4 4 banger out of a smaller car would probably drive similar, especially loaded.

If I owned a small business or fleet there is no way I would buy something with a clutch for employees to drive.

Kenny_McCormic wrote:

EvanR wrote: In a heartbeat, if only they'd import one with a clutch.

Would it make you feel better if I told you I've driven the German market 6 speed turbo diesel Ford Transit and thought it was awful? Powerband like a 2 stroke dirtbike, clutch was either on or off to an extent everybody (myself Included) who I saw try to drive it stalled it their first time around, all I could think was "Damn this thing would be a lot lot better with a well programmed torque converter auto". Quite a chore to operate, not the easy to drive torquey thing everybody assumes. Pictured van with a modern 2.4 4 banger out of a smaller car would probably drive similar, especially loaded.

Ya I think this is one of the few vehicles I would prefer an automatic in. I can't believe i just said that!

I dunno. The only minivan I've ever owned was a Plymouth Voyager with a clutch. Best $850 I ever spent!

Rather than a clutch, I'd like to see a mild-hybrid setup. If it can beat 30mpg in town AND on the highway, is a great do-everything vehicle. Commute in it during the week, haul E36 M3 as needed, load it up for active stuff like biking, kayaking, etc. on weekends.

i still think this thing is fairly ugly.

i haz seen a few of the new transit connects on the road and they look GOOD. want.

Ranger50 wrote: Looks FWD.... Gotta love how the K-car mentality won't die.

Sorry, but this is the dumbest thing I've read in the internet since I last clicked on Jalipnik. I'm not sure how this is the K-car mentality, unless GM, Ford, Nissan, Mini, Toyota, Honda, Fiat, and nearly every other car manufacturer that makes FWD cars has it too??
And I love how people belly-ache about a FWD van. Are you afraid of being put in the wrong class at your next auto-cross?